Deep within a grove near the City of Gilm, a cave sat nestled upstream along a flowing river. Its entrance had been carefully camouflaged so that even if adventurers from the city passed by, they would notice nothing. Inside, there were no signs of people or monsters; it was an ordinary cavern, identical to countless others across Elgin. The only feature distinguishing it from any other cave was the magic circle etched into the floor—a sigil roughly three meters in diameter that served as a beacon for those using a teleportation stone.
The teleportation stone was a magic item developed by the Bestia Empire. Even within the realm of space magic, which was notoriously difficult, space teleportation sat at the highest tier. Creating these stones required the precision processing of magic stones from B-Rank monsters or higher, combined with several rare materials. Consequently, no matter how competent the empire’s alchemists were, the items were subject to numerous restrictions. For instance, the weight limit for a single jump was roughly two to three adults, and a specific magic circle had to be prepared at the destination. The most significant limitation, however, was the range: a maximum distance of only ten kilometers.
This cave was the designated destination for the Shadows infiltrating the City of Gilm. Now, the magic circle on the floor flickered with violent intensity.
A blue light flared, oscillating between brilliance and shadow before finally erupting in a blinding radiance that washed over the interior. When the light finally faded, it left behind a new occupant.
"Guruuu?"
A gryphon with a body length exceeding two meters stood in the center of the circle.
"Guru, Gurururuu? Gurururuu!"
The sudden teleportation seemed to have left it disoriented. Seto tilted its head as it surveyed the surroundings, then tilted it again in confusion.
There was nothing but rock walls and a low stone ceiling. The only exit was heavily obscured by dead wood, evergreen branches, and stones to keep the cave hidden from the outside.
"Gurururuu."
Seto growled deep in its throat as the events of a moment ago came rushing back. It had sensed the activation of magic and, in a desperate bid to protect its beloved Rei, had charged into the cottage where the mana was emanating from. It remembered colliding with several figures just as a blinding light enveloped them. When it next opened its eyes, it was here.
"Guruuu? Gurururuu... Gurururuu!"
It looked around for any sign of Rei, but naturally, he was nowhere to be found in this place so far from the city.
Though a sense of isolation began to creep in, Seto let out a cry to bolster its own spirits. It was used to being away from Rei at the inn every night, and they had spent a long time apart during Rei's rank up exam. Drawing on those memories, it used a single sweep of its forepaw to blow away the rocks and branches blocking the entrance.
Fortunately, the opening was wide enough for Seto’s large frame. It stepped out and scanned the area. Winter had claimed most of the foliage, leaving behind withered trees and a few stubborn evergreens. The ground was carpeted in a thick layer of sodden leaves, damp from the recent snow.
"Gurururuu."
Seto purred as it searched the perimeter. However, there was no one in sight, and more importantly, no sign of Rei.
"Guruuu, Gurururuu... Gururururururururuu!"
Seto cried out, its voice rising higher and higher, a desperate proclamation that it was here. The local monsters hid or fled in terror at the sound, but Seto didn't care. Rei wasn't here. That simple fact made the gryphon feel painfully small.
"Gurururuu..."
It stood there for thirty minutes, crying out in its loneliness, but Rei did not appear. There was no hand to stroke its head with a smile, no fingers to scratch behind its ears or groom its feathers.
Another thirty minutes passed as it paced restlessly in front of the cave. An hour later, it finally decided that waiting would accomplish nothing.
"Guruuu."
Concluding that Rei wasn't coming to the rescue this time, it let out a small, encouraging chirp. Thanks to the shadow man's confession, Rei already knew where the stone led, but Seto had no way of knowing that. It decided that if Rei couldn't find it, it would simply have to find Rei.
The clearing in front of the cave offered just enough space. Taking a short running start, Seto flapped its wings and took to the sky as if running on the air itself.
"Gurururuu!"
I'm coming to see you, Rei. It let out a roar of resolve and looked down from the heights.
"...Guruuu?"
An unexpected sight caught Seto's eye. Not far from where it had been stood a high wall surrounding a sprawling city. Had it been any other city, Seto might have been confused, but the magic power drifting from those walls was unmistakably Rei’s. That had to be the City of Gilm.
"Guruuu, Gurururuu, Gurururururururuu!"
A howl of pure joy echoed across the landscape. Seto cried out once more and beat its wings toward the distant city.
Traveling by ground would have taken half a day or more, but for a creature of the sky, it was nothing. It would take less than an hour to reach the walls. Seto flew with purpose, but as it glanced down, its sharp vision caught a party of adventurers locked in combat with monsters. Its acute hearing picked up a woman's voice rising from the fray.
"Hey! You're Lizardmen! Go hibernate like the lizards you are!"
A warrior-like woman was busy fending off several Lizardmen at once. Behind her, a middle-aged man held a staff as he chanted a spell, while an archer girl fired arrows to support the vanguard. Seto recognized them immediately. It was the C-Rank party, Scorching Wind. Mirene, the party’s leader, had made a lasting impression on Seto because she was always feeding it delicious treats.
"Guruuu..."
Seto glanced toward the City of Gilm. It could feel Rei's magic power clearly now, and through their bond, it knew he wasn't injured.
Being a creature born from Rei’s Beast Magic, Seto’s soul was linked to his by a line of magic power. This allowed it to sense Rei's location and status even from a great distance—a feat it couldn't repeat with anyone else. Unfortunately, because Rei lacked the ability to perceive magic power, the connection was a one-way street; he couldn't feel Seto’s presence in return.
Knowing that Rei was safe, Seto hesitated for a few seconds, looking between the city and the struggling Mirene. Finally, it began its descent.
Under normal circumstances, D-Rank Lizardmen were no match for a C-Rank party like Scorching Wind. However, the winter mud and slush had turned the ground into a trap, negating the advantage Mirene usually held as a speed-based swordsman.
While the Lizardmen were also susceptible to the cold, their movements remained fluid as long as they stayed active. Only when their body temperature dropped would they truly slow down.
"Sulnin, is the spell ready yet!?"
"Just a moment... almost there..."
"Mirene-san, look out!"
As Mirene shouted for support from their mage, Sulnin, a Lizardman with a spear lunged toward her flank, taking advantage of her preoccupation with another foe—
"Gurururuu!"
With a cry that was intimately familiar to the three members of Scorching Wind, Seto dropped from the sky. The gryphon struck with the force of a falling star, its forepaw crushing the neck of the Lizardman fighting Mirene before it even hit the ground.
"What!?"
Mirene gasped, but Seto didn't stop. It landed with nearly silent grace, a feat only possible for a master of the air.
"Gurururuu!"
Using the momentum of its landing, Seto surged forward. A horizontal slash of its forepaw caught the spear-wielding Lizardman in the gut, shattering its torso instantly.
The gryphon scanned the area, confirming there were no other enemies nearby. Then, it took a deep breath.
"Gururururururururuu!"
Seto unleashed a Fire Breath from its beak.
"Shaaaaa!"
The last Lizardmen were engulfed in flames, rolling on the ground in agony. Fortunately, the winter dampness prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding trees.
"Now! Sulnin, Ekryl!"
Snapped back to attention by Mirene’s command, Sulnin unleashed a Wind Arrow while Ekryl fired her readied bow. They made short work of the remaining monsters. Mirene moved in as well, her sword ending the life of the Lizardman still rolling in the slush.
After a few minutes, the area grew quiet. Mirene turned her gaze toward Seto, whose eyes were still sharp as it patrolled the perimeter.
"Seto-chan... is that really you?"
"Guruuu."
Seto purred and gave a firm nod. The Tamed Monster's Necklace around its neck confirmed its identity beyond a doubt.
"Gurururuu?"
Seto tilted its head, asking if they were alright. The sight of such pure concern was the breaking point for Mirene. Her relief and joy exploded into a display of intense affection.
"Seto-chan, Seto-chan, Seto-chaaan! Thank you for saving us! You’re so cute, and cool, and strong, and cute, and just so adorable!"
"...Mirene, I think you've used the word 'cute' enough for one day."
Sulnin gave a wry smile as he gently stroked Seto’s head with his staff. Mirene, who was currently clinging to the gryphon's neck, shot him a look that told him not to interfere. Sulnin simply ignored her. From their time raiding the Orc settlement, he knew this gryphon possessed intelligence that rivaled—or perhaps exceeded—that of a human.
"Thank you for the help. We wouldn't normally struggle with mere Lizardmen, but the conditions today were quite poor."
"Gurururuu."
Seto shook its head as if telling him not to worry. Ekryl, watching from a short distance away, suddenly voiced a realization.
"Wait... if Seto is here, does that mean Rei is nearby? I don't see him anywhere."
"...Guruuu..."
At the mention of Rei, Seto’s round eyes filled with a palpable loneliness.
"Oh? Rei isn't with you? That’s strange... he practically lives for this gryphon."
"Guruuu."
Seto purred and turned its gaze toward the City of Gilm. Mirene, whose devotion to Seto was second only to Rei's, immediately understood the gesture.
"That way is Gilm... so Rei is still in the city? And you were on your way back to him?"
"Gurururuu."
Seto nodded. Now that it had found friends and sensed its master's location, the gryphon was back to its usual self. The lonely creature that had been crying in the woods an hour ago was nowhere to be seen.
"I see. I don't know how you got separated, but... hey, Seto-chan. We're heading back to Gilm too. Why don't you come with us?"
"Mirene. Seto can fly back in minutes. There’s no reason for it to slow down to our pace..."
Sulnin tried to reason with her, but Mirene wasn't just acting on her desire to cuddle. A gryphon’s protection was an invaluable asset for any party traveling the winter roads.
"What do you say? Will you stay with us for a while?"
"Guruuu..."
Seto looked toward the city, hesitating for a few heartbeats, then gave a small nod. It knew Rei was probably worried, but Mirene was one of its favorite people. Judging that she was in more immediate danger than Rei, Seto decided to escort the Scorching Wind party back to the city.
"Honestly, Mirene, please reflect on the fact that our winter funds are low because you spent so much."
"I know, I know! You're so nitpicky, Sulnin."
"She really is reckless with money, isn't she? I heard her bragging at the tavern that she doesn't let her gold see the next day's sun."
"Hey! Ekryl! That was..."
"Ho-ho. I think I'd like to hear more about that."
Their voices faded into the trees as the group began the long walk home.